


Running into the Night

by ak0gare



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Friendship, Get Together, M/M, Modern AU, Pining! Keith, Pre-Relationship, klance, like really pining i surprised myself lol, platonic friendships ahead, this is cheesy af, this just pure klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-21
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-08-23 17:46:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8337031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ak0gare/pseuds/ak0gare
Summary: After Shiro invites Keith out to hang out with the gang he hasn't seen in months, Keith has to wonder if they miss him just as much as he misses them. And if Lance would ever forgive him for dropping out before either of them confessed their feelings for one another.Or the one where Keith is pining for Lance and he gets a second chance to tell him how he feels.





	

His mind was heavily occupied, thoughts swirling all around and he couldn’t quiet them down. The frustration that was pent up inside him was enough to stop him from getting any of his sketches on paper, so he crumbled up the half drawn motorcycle and threw it in the trash bin beside his desk, missing completely. He turned in his chair, glancing at the digital clock that was blatantly telling him he was going to be late. His phone felt too heavy in his pocket, like the guilt he knew he was going to feel if he didn’t at least show up like Shiro wanted him to.  
Hey, we’re going out later. Be there before twelve. 

Along with the message, Shiro sent directions to some place that was slightly close to where he lived. Keith hadn’t responded to the text message when he got it, knowing that Shiro would read the read on his phone and understand that Keith was purposely ignoring him. Which is why Shiro sent him another message, regardless of that fact.

And by we, I mean all of us. 

Keith could read that in two ways. Either Shiro meant he wanted Keith to go no matter what, or everyone from the group was going to be there.

Including Lance.

Before he could think twice about it, he stood up to grab his red jacket hanging on the coat hanger beside the wall, threw it on with a huff, and walked out his apartment. 

The night was cool, the air refreshing on his skin. He couldn’t see the moon and only small twinkles of light appeared in the sky. Keith could feel his mind working double time, or maybe it was his heart. He was nervous, with his hands clenching and unclenching and his eyes that darting from side to side. If what Shiro said was true, that would mean he would be seeing everyone once again after months. 

After he dropped out.

It wasn’t dropping out that made him feel bad. It was his own choice and the private academy they all went to just wasn’t his thing anymore. He knew he had problems he needed to figure out, personal problems, so now was a good time to get that all sorted out. 

No, it was when he had decided to drop out that sort of screwed things up (or so he felt).

At the academy, Keith wasn’t really much of a social person. He liked people but he had a hard time expressing his feelings to others, usually leaning on his temperamental side to do the talking for him. It wasn’t until Shiro invited him to a get-together with a couple of his friends that Keith finally found a group that he liked (and liked him back). 

Keith wasn’t going to deny the comfortable friendship he had with each of them, falling into categories like ‘different’ or ‘interesting’ or ‘unique.’ But he could definitely feel that the friendship he shared with Lance was much different than the ones he had with Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge. For Keith, it went from staying friends with him to wanting much more than that. Lance was definitely attractive, with his bright eyes and wide smiles he would throw at him, but it was the feeling of being around him that Keith grew attached to. He could relax around Lance, all worries ceasing to exist for a moment, which allowed him to feel more confident in taking on the world. 

He never expected for it ever become mutual. For Lance to confess almost the very same exact thing felt like a dream. Keith couldn’t tell if Lance meant it as a friend or with the intention of being something more. But regardless, there was a huge change between them after that event. There was more long lasting touches, frequent glances towards one another, and smiles being hidden away from other people’s view. Then, he dropped out. 

Keith sighed as he checked the GPS on his phone, letting him know that he had arrived. He was led to an alleyway, where he could see the lit building at the end. The blue neon sign above the door was just a jumble of words Keith blatantly ignored. Boy, he sure loved ignoring everything.

He walked past the bouncer who was posted beside the double doors. The very tiny room he entered had one red light bulb welcoming its guests before suddenly the next room was just a sea of blue. A band was playing on the stage, entertaining the crowd of people with their music rather than with their presence. He scanned the room for familiar faces and when he realized that he wasn’t going to be able to find them that way, he began to walk through the dancing bodies. His eyes finally found Shiro’s, a small glimmer of happiness, but also surprise at his arrival. Even while they spoke, Shiro would not stop swaying to the music in some way.

“What took you so long?” he asked, both of them leaning in slightly closer in order for them to hear each other over the music.

“I couldn’t find the place,” Keith replied, which was slightly true. His running thoughts had distracted him from checking his GPS frequently, and he ended up either walking one block too much or turning the opposite way. He looked past Shiro to see Pidge, who was waving hi with an encouraging smile, then over to Hunk, who was getting really into the song even as he patted Keith on the back saying, Great to have you back, buddy. He couldn’t help but notice they didn’t stop moving for one minute. In fact, everyone around him was dancing and he felt like the odd one out, stiff and unmoving in his spot.

His eyes suddenly came upon a familiar face, and it nearly knocked the wind out of him. He felt as if his heart was going to bruise his ribs the way it was beating so hard. An ache formed in his chest when he realized how badly he had missed those bright eyes and that soft smile Lance reserved only for him. 

“Never thought I’d see you in a place like this. You don’t even like music,” Lance’s voice made Keith shiver, the familiarity of it overwhelming. It was the same voice that would tease him, the same voice that would tell stupid jokes, the same voice that confessed to insecurities in the night and only encourage during the day. Keith swallowed hard, and licked his lips before he responded.

“That’s not true, I don’t like people,” Keith lied, and wasn’t it just like Lance to see through him and recognize the way his voice went slightly softer whenever he wasn’t telling the truth. Lance tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowed, with a look that was wondering why Keith even lied in the first place. Keith suddenly remembered the conversation they had a few months ago (although it felt like years to him) about how much Keith would rather be like Lance, to have the ability to express what he truly felt. Something told Keith that Lance did. Lance shook away the thought he was having and continued.  
“Well, you better start moving. You’re not really allowed to just stand around in a place like this. Otherwise…” he stopped talking and looked past Keith, where a different bouncer was standing behind him. The bouncer grabbed Keith’s shoulder and pointed over to the wall, where a blue neon sign stared back down at Keith. He recognized them as the same ones that were outside. Dance or Go. Of all the names…

“So?” Keith challenged to the bouncer and the bouncer raised an eyebrow, giving him an exasperated look. 

“So, you either dance or you go. It’s that simple. No room for tourists here,” he said, with a threatening tone. Lance gave the bouncer a friendly smile, hoping to change the bouncers mind with a single look.

“It’s okay. He’s with me.” Keith looked over at Lance, and Lance glanced at him. IN that single look, Keith could see how open he was. No emotion was hidden and it overwhelmed Keith. They were expressing so much. Keith didn’t know what to do. The words came tumbling out of his mouth before he had a chance to stop.

“I think I’ll just go,” he said more to Lance than to the group that was very much staring at the two of them. Shiro called out to stop Keith as he waved goodbye, while Hunk and Pidge made a noise that sounded a lot like disappointment. Why wouldn’t they be disappointed? He just arrived and now he was leaving. He was turning away when he heard Lance’s voice, a soft whisper that made it’s way over to Keith despite the loud music.

“Stay.” It sounded too much like a plea, and he can only imagine the look on Lance’s face as he said it. His mind was telling him to stay, but he kept walking through the crowd, away from his friends. Away from Lance. 

When he finally made it out, the air much colder than before to the point where he could faintly see his breath, he realized that he was practically rushing through the double doors. He stopped abruptly, his body catching up with his mind. He didn’t want to leave. He left before, didn’t he? And where had that left him? With text messages being the only form of communication he received from the closest friends he had. They wanted him to be there. Lance wanted him to be there. He looked at the ground and found himself making a decision. He turned back around, marching up to the door until a hand blocked his way.

“No entry after midnight.” The bouncer told him and Keith almost laughed in frustration. Of course he wasn’t going to be allowed back in. No, that would have made things way too easy. 

“Even though you just saw me come out?” he asked through gritted teeth. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. 

“Not my problem,” the bouncer remarked. Keith ignored him and walked past the hand that was stopping him. He wasn’t expecting that same hand to push him back a couple steps. He almost tripped over his feet as he glared at the bouncer. Well, there goes that plan he thought sourly to himself. Running a hand through his hair (or a mullet as Lance used to tease), he was beginning to wonder how he was going to make it back in. There were too many things he needed to say, things he wanted to do. A second chance had appeared before him and he wasn’t about to let it slip through his fingers. 

A loud yell startled him out of his thoughts. He turned his head to find two guys arguing, standing beside a metal fence, pointing their fingers at each other. When he caught the bouncer peering over at the two men, he heard the sound of a body being pushed into the fence and they began to lunge at one another, struggling and grunting. 

“Hey!” the bouncer by the double doors yelled. He stomped over to the two men, yelling at them to take it somewhere else. Keith looked at the unguarded door in front of him and before he knew it, he ran as fast as he could toward them. The bouncer saw him, quickly ignoring the two men and focused his attention back to Keith. Keith swung both doors closed, and wondered if it was locked. When he heard the bouncer curse and slam his hands angrily at the doors, he grinned to himself. His hands were shaking at the slight adrenaline rush he was having. Or maybe it was because he was nervous. 

He walked back into the sea of blue, bodies moving from side to side and arms swimming all around. He walked through the crowd, hoping to spot a familiar brown head. His mind was racing, but all that he could think was Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance. He wanted to find him and pull him close to his own body. He wanted to tell him how much he missed him. He wanted to hear that same voice close against his ear, he wanted his laughs, his smiles, the half-hearted arguments, and slight teases. He wanted stupid jokes and snorts, he wanted, he wanted, he wanted. 

He spotted Lance, dancing in an almost trance-like state and Keith had trouble swallowing. Only Lance could make him feel this way, so out of breathe like he just ran a marathon but have his heart pound so fast. Lance still hadn’t noticed him yet, so he took that moment to his advantage.

He grabbed Lance’s hand from out of the air and tugged him close to his body, not leaving an inch between them. His whole body felt electric, all tingly and sensitive. God, it was so sappy and cliche and dramatic. It was something Lance could pull off way better than him. 

Their noses were close to touching and for an instant, Lance was about to pull away until he recognized him. The smile that grew on his face was pure joy. Keith’s own face was slightly serious, but the small half smile betrayed him. 

He wasn’t sure how it happened but they started dancing, overwhelmed in the moment. Keith was terrible at dancing yet with Lance, it really didn’t matter. He even decided to air guitar which made Lance throw his head back and laugh. Keith laughed along with him, happiness coursing through his entire body. 

“This is so cheesy!” Lance said, his smile wide and goofy. Keith wondered if his smile looked the same. He really, really hoped so. Keith needed Lance to know how he felt. He was always good at being able to read his emotions. When he held out both of his hands as they danced, Lance immediately took them and they began to sway to the music, and Keith pressed his forehead close to Lance’s. The moment felt like the evening, when the sun was just about to set and the sky was caught between being dark blue or shades of red from the sun. It wasn’t magical or out of this world. It was familiar and comfortable. 

When Lance pulled away, he looked past Keith’s shoulder over to the entrance way. Keith followed his gaze to see the bouncer he locked out scanning the room, most likely looking for his mullet and ready to throw him out. He panicked and pulled Lance to the floor, squatting amongst the moving figures. He led both of them through the crowd and Keith thought he could hear whoops and cheers from a couple of familiar voices. When he turned back around, he was met with Lance’s secret smile, the one he reserved for him and him only. 

“Lead the way,” Lance said, squeezing Keith’s hand encouragingly. He was glad that the room wasn’t too bright, since it would probably hide the flush that spread on his cheeks and down his neck. When they finally made it to the entrance, they pushed through the doors, both breathing deeply and the grins they had on wouldn’t leave their faces. They stared at one another, refusing to let one another go.

“Trust me?” Keith asked, familiar words being carefully said into the air. It held a promise of the future, and an apology to the past. He didn’t want to lose his friend but it wasn’t up to him to decide. He hoped that Lance would accept it, hoped maybe something much more came out of this. It was a request from Keith to let Lance back into his life. 

When Lance nodded, Keith felt his heart soar and they ran away from the building, the blue neon sign becoming nothing but a blur and their youthful hearts eventually the brightest thing in the night.

**Author's Note:**

> This was very heavily inspired by a [music video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWF5_wdqQj0) I saw. The song is supposed to be in Keith's point of view so if you listen to that, you can learn more about how Keith feels about Lance ( as if he didn't explain it enough in this fic.) I hope you really enjoyed this. 
> 
> i have a [tumblr](http://ak0gare.tumblr.com/)!


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